michael jon carter – JackSGreyson Says

This really won’t make sense if you don’t read @rahndom‘s Mastermind.

So the last chapter has the Young Justice swoop in to save both of the Drakes’ lives–though they are hospitalized–and there is a Janet-Tim mother-son bonding moment. Very sweet and everything. And I always want to know more about Janet Drake and figure that the woman who told her toddler that he can be anything so long as he put his mind to it, would be very supportive of her son as the vigilante named Mastermind.

So I was thinking some more about this universe and had some world-building/brainstorm-y thoughts about what I would like to read in a Janet POV continuation/remix of the fic.

The main one being–why does Janet, immediately upon waking up post-Haiti, decide to divorce Jack? And in answer to that I figured, well, what if most of the time, his parents were gone separately?

Like, Janet goes off somewhere for business and would assume that Jack would stay at home. And she’d say, oh, I’ll be back in three weeks. Then, two and a half weeks later Jack is like, Tim can stay at home by himself for three days, there’s a dig I would like to go to, I’ll be back in a month. Except then Janet calls and is like–I have to extend my stay for another six weeks–not knowing that Jack has already left for his own trip. Etc. etc. I mean, neglect is neglect, but at least this way it kind of explains Janet’s complete 180 in that last chapter.

Because it wasn’t really a complete 180. I figure it was probably something like… Jack was the one who wanted a kid and Janet didn’t really, but of course when she had Tim she loved him–but she still wasn’t ready to be a mother. As opposed to Jack who, even after Tim was born, still liked the idea of a son more than actually having a son. So hence Janet wanting to divorce Jack and stay in Gotham. Because the entire time she thought Jack was staying at home with Tim and finding out that he wasn’t–to the point that Tim became a teenaged vigilante with all his spare time–made her realize that she cannot stay married to this man who is a terrible husband and father.

And then everything else was just in line with what Tim can do and the idea that a lot of what makes Tim Mastermind is actually stuff he got from Janet. Including annoying the crap out of Bruce Wayne.

So of course she’s going to stick up for Catwoman as her son’s godmother. Retroactively claiming friendship with Selina Kyle–why of course, Bruce, Selina and I have been friends forever. It’s shameful that you’ve forgotten. It must be that dreadful alcoholism of yours, it’s practically pickled your brain.

But then she figures maybe it’s not enough. And while she adores Selina, well, Catwoman is a thief, and thieves don’t fight. They run. As Mastermind, Tim may not have the luxury to run, so he’ll need a little extra… something. Thankfully, the Obeah Man thing happens way before Infinite Crisis (which, is the thereabouts of when Blue Beetle dies) so that means that Ted Kord is still alive. That last chapter also mentions Jaime as part of the team even though he doesn’t become Blue Beetle until after Ted Kord dies but… uh… maybe his timeline is a little sped up (like Damian’s).

Anyway. Janet is all for plausible deniability, so she just has Drake Industries begin dealing with KORD Industries… and if that means that Ted Kord interacts with her son, well, if Tim can appoint himself a godmother surely she can choose a godfather. And if Blue Beetle happens to train Mastermind in the ways of non-metahuman vigilante skills/gadgets, well, that has nothing to do with their companies, does it? And it certainly is no business of Wayne Enterprises, butt out, Bruce.

As a bonus, since anywhere Ted Kord goes, Michael Carter goes, she basically gets two godfathers for the price of one. Which is especially great since it’s canon that Batman is ridiculously irritated by Booster Gold’s existence. It makes Booster helping to train Mastermind just absolutely hilarious to Janet (and me).

And I have some other thoughts–like… if Janet had gone to school with Lex as a teenager/child, well of course she’s going to recognize Kon, and similarly annoy the crap out of Lex. Mostly by sort of adopting Kon–because she’s been meaning to get Tim a bodyguard, it might as well be someone he likes. And then whenever she interacts with Lex she’s just so ruthless–“The darling boy is so lucky to favor his other parent’s genes, goodness knows your shoddy business practices are better off not being passed down to the next generation.” and “Oh, I’m sorry Lex, I can’t hear you over the sound of Lex Corp stock prices plummeting.” Hehehe…

Like, I would not want this to take over the actual fic, but be more like a… supplemental reading sort of thing.

Sorry, all of my Tim feelings spill over into Janet feelings so…

Although… I may actually write this? In a drabble-y choppy way. For now, though, here’s the brainstorm.

original here. dated 2011-01-19

[A/N: Continuation of yesterday’s The Toss Up (1), which is itself partially based on #3 from iesika’s Tim Drake AU post here]

It is several weeks after the attack of the mutant armadillos and Jaime is enjoying having the base to himself, even if only for a little while. It’s not that Tim shows up everyday–even with KORD Industries branching out to El Paso, many of Tim’s duties are still in Chicago–but on the days that he calls ahead, Jaime tries to get there first. To show that he’s not as inept as Tim makes him seem. Though, to be honest, on days when he knows for sure Tim will be in Chicago (or Metropolis or San Francisco or Gotham or wherever KI sends him that’s not El Paso), Jaime doesn’t even use the bases (they only have three but it’s still three too many). It’s not like he really needs them. [tim doesn’t need them, either]

“You can put me down now, Booster.”

“No way, Nymph, you’ll probably shatter.”

“Please put me down now. And don’t call me that.”

Jaime doesn’t really understand the relationship between Tim and Booster Gold. Then again, he doesn’t really understand Booster Gold or Tim separately, so trying to figure out their relationship is like trying to figure out the relationship between quantum physics and ancient Greek philosophy. Theoretically, someone might be able to do it, but it certainly isn’t Jaime. Shut up, Khaji Da. [khaji da did not say anything]

“You’ve told me once, you’ve told me a thousand times. You should just stop resisting. Nymph.”

“Never. Also, you used that expression wrong.”

“Pshaw, that’s what you think. Just wait ‘til the 25th century, it’ll all make sense to you.”

Even if he doesn’t get it, Jaime can still reap the benefits from their weird, barely functional relationship. Whenever Booster visits, and that’s an emphasis on when, Tim’s ire immediately shifts from Jaime and his perceived mistakes to Booster and his… Booster-ness. Usually, Booster visits because he needs Jaime’s help [khaji da’s help] with his latest adventure and not even Tim has figured out how to make comms transmit through time. And sometimes, very rarely, Tim and Booster will reminisce about Ted Kord when Jaime is around to hear it. (Plus, Booster always calls Tim ‘Nymph,’ and that’s just hilarious.)

But right now, Jaime’s just confused. Because right now, held in Booster Gold’s arms is Tim, whose cheek is beginning to darken with a bruise and whose no doubt once expensive suit looks like he walked the entire 1,500 mile trip from Chicago to El Paso.

“What happened to you?”

“Nothing. I’m fine. Booster, put me down.” Tim bites out, if Khaji Da hadn’t told Jaime months ago that that was how Tim dealt with embarrassment Jaime would be really insulted. This time Booster complies, uncharacteristically lowering Tim to the ground gently. Now free, Tim makes his way to the base’s bathroom with a noticeable hitch in his step. [abrasion on his right ankle. struggled against assailant–kicked unknown blunt weapon.]

When Jaime hears the sink start running, he turns his attention back to Booster and asks, “What happened to him?”

“Hmph, I don’t know if I should tell you, rookie… But I will anyway! His plane was hijacked as soon as it left Chicago. They were holding Nymph and the other passengers hostage for ransom money. But Nymph fought back, just like I taught him to–he would have regained control of the plane all by himself if it weren’t for Superman.”

“Really?” Superman? He’s awesome. [khaji da is better]

“No, not really, they were a five man team. Unless you mean Superman, then yes, he was really there,” Shoeless, in sweats and a t-shirt, a bandage wrapped around his right foot and winding upward, holding an ice pack to his face; this is one of the few times Jaime has ever seen Tim look his age. Like a teenage boy who got into a fight for no reason other than aggression and hormones instead of the KORD Industries’ youngest and most successful CEO who survived yet another hostage situation.

“Did you have any specific reason for being here now, Booster?”

“Do I need a reason to hang out with you guys?”

“Yes.” “No.” [based on past encounters, statistically yes]

“Harsh, Nymph, why can’t you be more like Jaime? I even brought you here when you asked me to.”

“No, you volunteered to bring me here when it looked like Superman was going to do it. And I agreed, because I thought you would also have a reason to see Jaime and Khaji Da.”

“Well I don’t. I came here to help you.”

“Then you can go now, because I don’t need your help anymore.”

“You don’t have to do everything by yoursel-”

“Please go, Booster, I’m tired and you’re not helping.”

“Nymph-”

“Hey,” With the way both Tim and Booster swing their heads to look at him, like snakes staring down prey, Jaime almost regrets speaking up. Almost, “If you don’t need anything from us, you can go. We’ll see you next time,”

“Yes, another time, Booster.”

“Well alright, kiddos. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!” And with that, he was gone.

“Thank you, Jaime,”

“He was right you know, you don’t have to do everything by yourself. You’ve got Khaji Da and me,” [yes]

Tag: michael jon carter

Mastermind (The Mother Knows Best Remix), brainstorm (2015-10-14)

Cross-Post: The Toss Up (2)